Barnyard Annex

Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:43 pm

Several years ago there was a vacant house across the road from us that I thought would be neat to have as a fixer-upper. It sat on a corner lot with an acre of ground. I told Rosie that with the old wire fence removed and a new picket fence it would look like it came straight out of Mayberry. The owners were a real friendly, elderly brother and sister who lived two doors down and never bothered to do anything with the place but cut grass.

A couple of years ago the brother died and the sister went into a nursing home. Rosie and I decided we would approach the family about buying the place, but within a week they had sold it to someone down the road from us for their son and daughter but it still sat empty. In mid June we saw a “For Sale by Owner” sign in the yard. By then the house had gone way down hill and fixing it was a long stretch. We thought we would still check it out. Even if the house was beyond repair, it had a decent six car garage. I called my daughter to see if she might be interested in the lot to build a new house on after she is married in November. She and Nick came out and we went over to look at it. Holy smoke, the signs had been taken down that day. We missed again. That place went fast both times.

About three weeks ago Rosanne called me at work and said she saw someone putting for sale signs up again and went over to get the phone number. I called as soon as I had the number and found that the house never sold because the potential owner found out it was in the flood plain (I knew it was). I asked what they were asking for it and I made an appointment for that night to look it over.

When we went over, my suspicions were right, the house needed a smack with a wrecking ball. I asked the owner what it would take to get it. He said he didn’t want to dicker back and forth and threw a price at me much lower than I was going to offer. Needless to say we plan on closing on it in a week or so. The house is ate up by termites. The siding is falling off on all sides, the floor has collapsed in the kitchen and the raccoons and other critters have taken up residence in the walls and ceiling. It is well beyond trying to save. We have talked to our local fire chief and offered to them for training. After they have their fun I will haul off what is left. The good news is, we picked up a nice lot with a 1200 square foot building for a really nice price.

I wonder what will find its way into that garage!

Last edited by Barnyard on Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Barnyard Annex

Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:50 pm

Way to go Barnyard!

Re: Barnyard Annex

Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:09 pm

Bill,

Before you let the fire company put the torch to it, you may want to advertise in your local paper for someone to demo the house for the materials. That is done frequently around here. The Amish are usually the ones who do it here. If it were me, I'd rather see some of the materials recycled than go up in smoke. If you find a willing party, the fire company can burn what's left. Just a thought.

Re: Barnyard Annex

Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:10 pm

Barnyard wrote:Several years ago there ...........................

I wonder what will find its way into that garage!

If I had bought it, it would be my cot....VernEDIT

This waste basket was made from a joist from an old granary my nephews used as their "club house" . They are grown and gone the building was in bad shape so my sister decided to burn it. We burned the most of it but waste baskkets were given to my nephews. I have also used oak studs from a remodeling project and a barn beam. I also use cheap planer blades because I'v hit more than one piece of an old nail. A plastic grocery bag goes around the ears.

Re: Barnyard Annex

Re: Barnyard Annex

Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:20 pm

Bill, I think you had a typo in there. You called it a "car" garage. Need I say more.

Bob

Re: Barnyard Annex

Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:37 pm

Don McCombs wrote:Bill,

Before you let the fire company put the torch to it, you may want to advertise in your local paper for someone to demo the house for the materials. That is done frequently around here. The Amish are usually the ones who do it here. If it were me, I'd rather see some of the materials recycled than go up in smoke. If you find a willing party, the fire company can burn what's left. Just a thought.

Don, that has been thought of. I like salvaging materials too. My insurance agent was a little hesitant with the idea of someone doing it without proper insurance. If you had a good look at this besides the pix you would see where there is very little other than the siding worth taking. Our fire department will not burn a house around here once demolition has started since they do not want to enter it after that for rescue training.

Bob McCarty wrote:Bill, I think you had a typo in there. You called it a "car" garage. Need I say more.

Bob

I should have said 30 Cub garage.

Re: Barnyard Annex

Mon Jul 30, 2012 6:19 pm

nice snag, BarnyArd! Ed

Re: Barnyard Annex

Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:02 pm

Good for you Bill! Too bad the house was neglected, because it looks like it was well built and provided a nice home for many years. But sounds like there's no saving it now.

Re: Barnyard Annex

Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:09 pm

Bill, I'm glad you got it. Is your daughter interested in building there?

Re: Barnyard Annex

Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:01 am

Nice purchase Bill, complete with a vintage Ford Pickup

Re: Barnyard Annex

Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:22 am

Where I used to work there was an old garage back away from everything else that the owner wanted torn down. Was going to cost more than he wanted to pay. Thought of the fire department training route. The fire department was there when it was burnt. The EPA was there a few days later. Cost the boss twice what it would have cost to just tear down in fines because it was intentionally set.

Re: Barnyard Annex

She is undecided at this point. After they get married they plan to mover closer to us. I don't know how close that may be.

When I talked to the fire chief he said he would have to inspect it to see if it met EPA guidelines. If it does I will get eveything out that I can. I was quoted a price of $5,500.00 to tear down and haul away. I don't plan to spend that much. If it comes to that I will dismantle it myself. I think I could fit that into my busy schedule.

Re: Barnyard Annex

Tue Jul 31, 2012 10:11 am

If it by chance has the old style steam radiators in it they are worth quite a bit to the right people. If the termites are that bad, have the garage and your house treated for them. Once it is gone, they will come out of their underground nest looking for a new home.

Re: Barnyard Annex

Wed Aug 01, 2012 11:42 pm

I went around to the front yard this morning just before lunch and saw someone with what looked like a tripod set up by the side of the house we are buying across the road. He was looking at the house and yard a lot so I figured he might be someone surveying the area. He would go back and forth from the hood of his car to the tripod and I quessed he was making notes as he surveyed. After lunch he was still there. I did some work with surveyors when I was in excavation years ago so I knew he was spending a little longer in one place than he should. I decided to walk over and see what he was up to. When I got closer I saw that the tripod was an easel and he kept going to his car because his palette was on the hood.

He had almost finished a painting of the house when I came up on him. He said he was passing by and thought the house made a terrific subject. We talked for a bit and I explained about the house being deteriorated almost beyond saving unless I wanted to dump a truck load of money into it (anybody ever see the movie "The Money Pit"). Out of curiosity I asked what the painting would go for and he said about $350.00. I reckon that's not bad for a couple of hours work. It's not like I wanted to hang it on my mantel in the house that is coming down, I was just being nosey. He gave me his website address and said the painting would be there in a couple of weeks.